The Bold and the Brave
Film poster
Directed byLewis R. Foster
Written byRobert Lewin
Produced byHal E. Chester
StarringWendell Corey
Mickey Rooney
Don Taylor
Nicole Maurey
John Smith
Race Gentry
CinematographySamuel Leavitt, A.S.C.
Edited byAaron Stell
Music byHerschel Burke Gilbert
(composed and directed)
Mickey Rooney
Ross Bagdasarian
(title song)
Production
company
Distributed byRKO Radio Pictures
Release date
  • April 18, 1956 (1956-04-18) (US)[1]
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.4 million (US)[2]

The Bold and the Brave is a 1956 American World War II film written by Robert Lewin in his first screenplay based on some of his Italian Campaign experiences. It was directed by Lewis R. Foster and stars Wendell Corey, Mickey Rooney, and Don Taylor. The film was produced by Filmmakers Production Organization and released by RKO. The title song was cowritten by Mickey Rooney and Ross Bagdasarian, the creator of Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Text in opening credits

"ITALY 1944"
"The battle is big... but some things are even bigger... sometimes the battle inside a man makes the war seem small by comparison..."
"This battle began at the bivouac area with the fresh troops awaiting their baptism of fire..."

Plot

The film traces the destinies of three American soldiers stationed in Italy during World War II. Fairchild (Corey) is an idealist who doesn't believe in killing. Preacher (Taylor) is a religious zealot, who can't see anything in terms other than Good and Evil. Dooley (Rooney), an inveterate gambler who runs a floating crap game up and down the Italian front. A gambler and a World War II veteran himself, Rooney claimed to have adlibbed and directed his crap game sequence.[3]

Text in closing credits

"Bravery is courage in action. It produces the deed which sets the hero above the coward."
"Omar N. Bradley, General of the Army."

Cast

Uncredited

Award nominations

The film received the following Academy Awards nominations:

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Bold and the Brave: Detail View". American Film Institute. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  2. ^ 'The Top Box-Office Hits of 1956', Variety Weekly, January 2, 1957
  3. ^ p. 216 Neibaur, James L. The Essential Mickey Rooney Rowman & Littlefield, 3 Mar 2016

External links


Films directed by Lewis R. Foster
Categories